You lit a fuse
And then you ran away
You cried all day
When the axe came down

You pay your money
You take a chance
But now you do a different dance
And there'll be no pipers playing
When the axe comes down

You said the streets of the city
Were paved in gold
But you were bought and sold
Before the axe came down

You ran the gauntlet
You ran from the law
But you ran outta luck
When the axe came down

Now i can't tell you why
The martyrs had to fry
Some say it's just an act of god

Who dares wins
Who hesitates has lost
And now you pay the cost
When the axe comes down

And all you paid up republicans
Who live by the gun
Your time will come
When the axe comes down

But every generation
Just filled with hate
Running from the blade
When the axe comes down

The architects and draftsmen
Who build the brave new world
They'll call for your blood
When the axe comes down